SAN CLEMENTE : New Mayor Seeks Residents’ Input

Steve Apodaca is the city’s new mayor, and Patrick M. Ahle is mayor pro tem.

Apodaca, elected to the San Clemente council a year ago, said one of his priorities will be to improve communications between city officials and residents.

Starting this week, Apodaca said, he will reinstitute weekly “mayor’s hours” for residents to air their concerns. The Monday sessions will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at City Hall.

“I’m going to do the very best I can to try and get out and meet as many groups in the neighborhoods, homeowners’ associations and community . . . so that we can, in fact, improve communications within our city,” Apodaca said.

Outgoing Mayor Candace Haggard reflected on her year in office, calling it “the year of the street.”

Among many of the city’s projects, she cited the $5.2-million repair project of the storm-damaged Colony Cove bluffs that had blocked off the Pacific Coast Highway for nearly two years, as well as passage in July of the 18-year, $55-million Street Improvement Program to fund the repair of the worst roads in town.

“I was truly honored to serve as mayor this year,” Haggard said. “I enjoyed it tremendously.”